1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for withdrawing labels that are releasably adhered to a carrier web for applying a separate label to each of a series of rotating articles such as tires. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing labels one-at-a-time from a supply reel of web-carried labels, with each sequential label being peeled from its carrier web and transferred to a curved, circumferentially extending surface portion of an application roller at a dispensing station, with the application roller being moved from the dispensing station to an application station to position and apply the label it carries to a rotating bead surface portion of a tire, with a resilient roller being provided adjacent the application roller to fully conform each newly applied label to the curved shape of the tire portion to which it is applied, and with a label reader checking proper application of each label before the application roller is permitted to be repositioned in the dispensing station to receive the next-to-be-applied label.
2. Prior Art
In the manufacture or "building" of tires, often it is desired to affix small indicia-carrying labels to tires at a relatively early stage while they are being "built." The unique identification label that each tire carries can be used, for example, to link each tire to certain records that are kept regarding tire model, size and/or other aspects of its manufacturing history.
A preferred location for the positioning of an identification label on a tire is on a curved exterior surface of a bead of the tire. Such a location has the advantage of permitting the label to be conspicuous so as to be easily found and read during tire manufacture and at other times before the tire is put into service; and, it has the further advantage of causing the label to be concealed from view when the tire is put into service (i.e., the rim of a wheel onto which the tire is mounted will overlie and hide the label so that the label will not distract from the appearance of the tire when in service). Still another advantage that results from positioning the label on a curved bead surface of a tire is that the label can be put in place on the tire relatively early during the process of "building" the tire inasmuch as curved exterior bead surface portions of a tire tend to be finalformed ahead of other exterior surface portions of the tire.
A preferred time to apply an identification label to a tire is promptly after the curved bead surface area that is to receive the label has been formed at a workstation of a "tire building machine" where the tire is being "built." One such time is immediately after opposed ends of a tubular ply-and-innerliner assembly (i.e., an assembly that is formed during initial steps that typically are employed during the building of a tire) have been "turned up" so as to extend about and encapsulate stranded bead members that cooperate with the "turned up" end regions to form the "beads" of the tire that is being built. If possible, a preferred time to apply an identification label is while some other step of the tire building process is underway, whereby productivity at a workstation of a tire building machine will not be caused to diminish due to delays that are introduced by labeling procedures.
Previously proposed labeling apparatus typically has been characterized by one or more drawbacks that render such apparatus unsuitable for use in reliably effecting the application of labels to tires that are being built at a workstation of a tire building machine. Many prior proposals call for apparatus that is too large to access a curved rotating bead surface to apply a label thereto, and/or that operates in ways that are not acceptable if label applications are to be effected rapidly, reliably and safely. Many prior proposals provide apparatus that, if used to effect the application of a label to a rotating bead surface of a tire that is being built at a workstation of a tire building machine would necessitate that the tire manufacturing process be slowed, stopped or otherwise undesirably disturbed during label application. Many prior proposals provide apparatus that is not capable of working with a relatively stiff, wear-resistant label to properly conform the shape of the label to the complexly curved character of a rounded bead surface that is being rotated by the drum of a tire building machine. Most previously proposed labeling apparatus offers provides no capability to "read" a label substantially immediately after it has been put in place to confirm that a proper application of the label has been effected.
Stated in another way, most prior proposals for labeling apparatus are found to be deficient in providing apparatus that satisfies one or more of the needs that are addressed by the present invention, namely the relatively specialized needs that are encountered in a tire building environment for effecting rapid, delay-free application of identification labels to tires that are being built, with relatively stiff labels being applied and conformed to the complexly curved configuration of an exterior bead surface that is rotating about a drum of a tire building machine, with each label being "read" substantially immediately after it is put in place to confirm that the label has been properly applied and positioned, with the application apparatus providing minimal intrusion into the vicinity of the workstation, and with prompt withdrawal of the application apparatus from the immediate vicinity of the workstation being effected after each use, whereby the application apparatus poses no obstacle to a continuation of production at a workstation where a tire is being built.